Act Of Kindness
by Gage39
Summary: A simple act of kindness could better somebody's life or save your own... Tom Paris learns this the hard way...


Star Trek Voyager-Random Act of Kindness

There are times in our lives when we have the choice to make someone's day brighter; we can say hello, give them a bright smile or a lift somewhere, or we can help them out of a jam. We quickly forget these acts of kindness and have to search our memories if, by some coincidence, we happen to meet the other party and they mention it. It was such a small thing to us that it didn't matter, but what we don't realize is that it often matters a great deal to the other person and sometimes makes a difference in their lives. If by another coincidence we happen to need their help they are more inclined to give it to us because, at some point in time, we were kind to them.

Most people never learn this lesson and probably never will. But there are a few select individuals who learn this lesson and remember it for the rest of their lives. Lieutenant Tom Paris of the starship Voyager was one of these people.

Tom Paris was currently on a planet in the Delta Quadrant, a place where nobody in their right minds wanted to be. Unfortunately they had no choice. Their ship had accidently gotten lost during an ion storm and they were now trying to find their way back to the Alpha Quadrant where they belonged.

Tom was browsing the marketplace, looking for something that he could use to help play practical jokes. He had just found a rather odd looking fruit which stunk when he saw a flash of something out of the corner of his eye. Turning he saw a large looking alien dragging what looked like a human into an alley. Not knowing why Tom laid down the fruit and followed them. He entered the alley just in time to see the alien hit the human on the face so hard he fell to the ground and didn't move.

Just as the alien was preparing for another kick Tom said, "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"He's my slave; I can hit him if I want to."

"You do and you'll have to deal with me," Tom warned. He wasn't as soft-hearted as Captain Janeway but he didn't approve of slugging someone, unless they deserved it but something told him that this kid didn't deserve to be beaten.

The alien laughed and lunged at Tom who quickly sidestepped him then grabbed the alien and rammed him into the wall. He fell down then got up and ran out of the alley as fast as he could.

Tom bent down next to the boy and rolled him over onto his side, eliciting a groan from the swollen lips.

"You okay?" Tom asked worriedly.

"I'm fine," the boy replied, sitting up and wincing as he did so. His face was a veritable network of cuts and bruises, dried blood clumped his dark black hair and his left eye was completely swollen shut. Now that Tom could see him closer he realized that the boy was Asian.

"How did you get in the Delta Quadrant?" Tom asked.

The boy blinked then replied, "My parents were on the starship Enterprise. They were captured during a war with the Ferengi and later killed. I was a wedding present for one of the brothers of the Ferengi and that's how I got here."

"I'm Lieutenant Tom Paris of the starship Voyager and you're welcome to come aboard with me if you like," Tom offered.

"Harry Kim but I better not. My master will not be happy if he returns to find that I have gone missing."

"Then we better hurry," Tom said, helping the boy to his feet.

Harry opened his mouth to object but before he could say anything several armed Ferengi rounded the corner and pointed their weapons at them.

Captain Kathryn Janeway was not in a good mood. First, the ship had broken down and so they'd had to stop and make repairs and now she had just been informed that Tom Paris had been arrested for assault.

She now stood facing the Ferengi who was in charge of the jail, trying to convince him to let Tom out. It wasn't working.

"Why can't you release him?"

"Ma'am, I've told you before, he's being charged with assault and must stand trial. Also he tried to steal one of our slaves and we don't take kindly to that."

"Well I don't take kindly to one of my crewmen being arrested!" she shouted "if you don't let Mr. Paris go right this minute I will send a signal to the Borg and bring them here."

The Ferengi paled. "You wouldn't?" he stammered.

"Try me."

After looking in her eyes for a minute and realizing that she would bring the Borg he stood and practically ran down the corridors, key in hand.

They had been in prison for several hours. Tom had managed to bandage most of Harry's wounds and the two of them were now sitting on the floor, just waiting when they heard the sound of footsteps.

Tom stood up and waited.

"You can go now," the Ferengi said. "Your captain is here for you."

Tom walked out of the cell then turned around. "You can come with me," he said. "I know the captain will let you stay on board."

Harry seemed to be considering then shook his head. "No," he said, "I must stay here. If I don't my master will come after me and destroy you and your captain. But thank you."

Reluctantly Tom followed the Ferengi to the end of the corridor, then half-turned back and could see Harry's face pressed against the bars, watching him.

5 Years Later

"I hate to tell you this, captain, but evasive maneuvers aren't working," Tom said.

Janeway growled and gritted her teeth. They were under attack by the Akitirians which was not good. They were also losing, which was even worse.

"Open a com-link," she ordered.

Harry watched impassively as his captain fired upon the other ship again. Suddenly a buzzing filled the room.

"Captain, the other ship wants to communicate," he said. After the incident with the StarFleet Lieutenant Harry had been sold to a passing Klingon ship and when they had surrendered he had wound up with the Akitirians. He was only on the bridge because their previous communications officer had been killed in the fight with the Klingons and he said that he knew how to use their equipment.

"Open the channel," the captain ordered.

Harry did so and the face of a woman with short red hair appeared.

"This is Captain Janeway of the starship Voyager. We mean you no harm and wish only to pass through your territory."

Voyager. Suddenly bells rang in Harry's head and a voice rang through his head. _I'm Lieutenant Tom Paris of the starship Voyager_

"I don't care," the harsh voice of the captain interrupted his musings, "you trespassed and therefore you deserve to die." The channel closed and the picture of the ship reappeared. "Prepare to fire," he ordered.

No! Harry couldn't let them do that. The StarFleet officer had been nice to him and Harry did not forget things like that. Knowing what he had to do, he quickly punched some buttons on the console.

"Warning, self-destruction set. Ship will blow in approximately thirty seconds. No other verbal warning will be heard." The computer's monotonic voice filled the bridge.

The captain turned and glared at Harry. "Turn it off!" he yelled.

"It can't be turned off," Harry said.

"Why you…" the captain lunged but never made it.

Janeway and her crew watched in aghast as the Akitirians vessel blew up, rocking Voyager ever so slightly and sending everyone sliding.

"Board what is left of the ship," Janeway ordered. "I want to know what happened."

Tom clutched his phaser tightly as they looked through the smoking remains of the former ship. He was currently in the bridge when he spotted something underneath a fallen console. Curious, he moved close enough to see that it was a human. An Asian to be more precise. The face looked familiar and Tom frowned as he tried to remember. Suddenly a memory popped into his head.

"_You can come with me," Tom offered. "I know the captain will let you stay on board."_

_Harry seemed to be considering then shook his head. "No," he said, "I must stay here. If I don't my master will come after me and destroy you and your captain. But thank you."_

_Reluctantly Tom followed the Ferengi to the end of the corridor, then half-turned back and could see Harry's face pressed against the bars, watching him._

"Is something wrong, Mr. Paris?" captain Janeway asked.

"I knew this kid," he said softly. "I met him on the Ferengi planet where I got into trouble. Remember that?"

"Yes," she said.

Later, Tom sat in his room brooding. After a routine investigation they discovered that the self-destruction had been turned on at the console that Harry had been trapped under. After hearing Tom's story about what happened on the Ferengi planet Janeway's opinion had been that Harry had remembered Tom and blown up the ship in order to save his life.

When asked why Janeway had replied, "Sometimes when we do things we never consider the consequences. You could have not helped him in which case we would all be dead, but since you did Mr. Kim decided to help you just like you helped him all those years ago. We'll probably never know the real reason but that's my theory anyway."

After thinking it over Tom had had to agree with her and said a prayer for Harry wherever he was now. He never forgot that though and told it to his children including his oldest son whom he named-Harry.

The End

A/N: I know this is AU and not a very good story but I got this idea a while ago and just wanted to get it out of my head. So please let me know what you think, ok?


End file.
